


when you go, take this heart (i have no more use for it)

by badwolfbaes



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, BAMF Haruno Sakura, F/F, Fluff, Ino-Shika-Cho Formation (Naruto), Meet-Cute, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Indulgent, the product of too many sakuino feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26699944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfbaes/pseuds/badwolfbaes
Summary: All Sakura wanted was a quiet night of drinking before her mission the next morning. But what kind of shinobi would she be if she let a creep bother a woman at the bar?AKA the one where the Ino-Shika-Cho clans settled in Kusagakure instead of Konoha and Sakura finds herself falling for a certain blonde.
Relationships: Akimichi Chouji & Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura & Sai, Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 49
Kudos: 207





	1. Chapter 1

As Sakura rolled her glass of sake between her hands, she contemplated the pros and cons of smashing it over the man’s head. He had been trying and failing to pick up a blonde woman at the bar for a solid fifteen minutes, letting her numerous rejections bounce off him. Sakura inhaled deeply to calm herself. She’d definitely get thrown out of the bar if she started a fight which would be problematic since it was the only bar in the small village of Kusagakure. Plus, the man had civilian written all over him and Tsunade would kill her if she broke one of the first shinobi laws. So Sakura resigned herself to seething at her table and took a sip of her drink. 

“C’mon let me show you a good time.” The man’s hand landed on the woman’s thigh. 

And then it was caught in Sakura’s grip. 

He flinched violently at her sudden appearance, scowling at her like she was shit he’d stepped in. “We were talkin’ here, lady.” 

“Not anymore.” She snuck a glance at the woman to make sure her intervention was wanted. The silent gratitude behind ice blue eyes was more then enough. Sakura tried to convince herself the heat that rose to her face was from anger.

“Listen, bitch I don’t know who you think you are but-” She debated on if the shinobi law would count if she broke his arm and healed it, albeit not right away, but the woman spoke up first.

“My girlfriend.” The woman’s voice was lower then Sakura expected, both smooth and entrancing at once. “She’s my girlfriend and you’re in her seat so…” She waved her hand as if to shoo him away.

The man looked between them, ripped his arm away out of her grasp and walked to an empty corner of the bar. When it was clear he was still watching them, Sakura took the vacated seat. She told herself it was to keep up appearances and absolutely not because the woman shot her a smile that made her weak in the knees. 

“So do I get to know my saviour’s name?” The woman teased after a beat of silence. 

“Sakura.” She had a henge activated to disguise her pink hair and Seal as they’d become infamous after the war but Sakura was a common enough name she didn’t feel the need for an alias. “I’d shake your hand but that creep is still watching and I don’t think girlfriends shake hands.” 

“Sorry I kinda panicked. I’d be so lucky to have such a beautiful girl on my arm.” She leaned in and tucked a strand of Sakura’s hair behind her ear. “Or in my bed.”

Sakura let out a sound she didn’t know she could make.

When was the last time she was flirted with? It was hard to get a date in Konoha when everyone practically grew up together and they’d all seen her demolish boulders with a single punch. They’d sooner call her a monster then girlfriend material. Which was fine. Sakura had put blood, sweat and tears into her abilities and she’d finally felt worthy of being called the Godaime’s apprentice. 

None of that meant she didn’t get unbearably lonely. Her shifts at the hospital were unpredictable and kept her from anything resembling a social life. And when she did see her friends, they’d be paired off or out finding love. More often then not, she’d find herself alone in her empty apartment eating cold leftovers. 

So she wasn’t surprised when she found her head tilting so the woman’s soft hand was cradling her cheek. Sakura was long overdue for a moment of weakness and she felt…safe. A thumb brushed her cheekbone and warmth bloomed in her chest. It was pathetic how easy the contact made her crumble, and in front of a stranger no less. But the gesture was so intimate she didn’t find it in herself to care. All she wanted was to relish in the woman’s touch just a while longer, pretend someone loved her. 

“This is something girlfriends do, right?” The blonde’s voice broke Sakura out of her trance and she jerked away from the woman. 

“Gods I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have done that.” 

“Why not?” Her long blonde hair spilled over her bare shoulder as she cocked her head to the side. Sakura swallowed thickly as her eyes followed the motion, eyes trailing downwards. The deep purple dress she wore clung to her in all the best ways and made Sakura feel like a brute in comparison. Her arms and thighs were too muscular, shoulders too broad to ever pull off that kind of femininity.

“We’re strangers. I don’t even know your name.” 

“Let’s fix that.” She grinned wide, a bit of tongue sticking out. “You ever heard of 21 questions?”

* * *

“You take that back right now or we’re breaking up.” Sakura snorted at the blonde’s declaration, complete with crossed arms and a small pout. 

“I’m sorry you can’t accept the fact that sake is better then wine, babe.” The steady stream of alcohol the two had consumed had done wonders to loosen her up and the term of endearment fit naturally in her mouth. The woman, who’s name she still didn’t know, didn’t seem to mind, a quirk of her lips the only tell that she’d even heard Sakura. 

“You have no taste, Sakura, its so sad. Is everyone from Fire so sad?” 

“We don’t drink for the taste, we drink to get fucked up.” She threw back the shot in front of her, pretending not to notice how the blonde stared at her exposed neck. 

“Can’t believe you’re throwing away our loving relationship cause you can’t admit you’re wrong.” 

“We had a good run.” 

“But will I ever love again?” Her speech had slurred to a point that told Sakura she had raced past tipsy and was on her way to drunk. She sighed as she watched the woman slump over the bar. When she’d come into the bar, she had been hoping for a quiet night before her B-rank mission in the morning. It was a tradition of hers. Get into a town a day early, have a rare night when she wasn’t expected to do anything or be anyone before shifting into mission headspace. She wasn’t the Godaime’s apprentice or a war hero who still got nightmares or the second coming of the Sannin. 

She was just a girl getting a drink. 

Sakura had never drank this much before and she’d certainly never had company. Good company. The kind where any silence was comfortable and she wasn’t grasping for something to say. The blonde was so easy to talk to. She was always the friend who listened but for once, she was the one telling stories and making the other girl laugh so hard she had to wipe away tears.

It was fun, more fun then she’d had since her genin days, to let go for a few hours. But Sakura was a shinobi before a human and if she wanted to be at her best tomorrow, she needed to go to sleep soon. She savoured the fuzzy, heady feeling for a moment before sending her chakra through her bloodstream to purge the alcohol from her system. She hopped out of her seat, shaking out the stiffness from her legs and held a hand out to her companion. 

“C’mon, babe. Time to go home.” 

The trip, at first was a disaster. They made no progress fast as the woman tried to lead the way, stumbling like she’d just learned to walk. Eventually, Sakura decided enough was enough and carried her on her back, letting the blonde focus on pointing out directions. 

“How’re you so strong?” The woman mumbled. 

“Please, you weigh nothing.” Sakura said, a bit distracted. She recognized the area they were in and when they made the last turn, her suspicions were confirmed. 

The Clan Estate. 

Kusagakure was structured differently then Konoha. The clans of her village had separate land spread out around the village. This was done both for bragging rights for whoever owned the biggest property and for privacy. In Kusa, where there were less clans and unity was more highly praised, the village had allocated them a private sector of their own. 

Sakura had scouted out the estate early that day so she wouldn’t get lost for her mission tomorrow. She cringed at how bad it would look if someone saw a foreign shinobi with a drunk clan member in the dead of night. 

“Now would be a really great time to tell me your name so I know how much shit I could be in.” 

“You’ll be fine. I won’t let anyone hurt my cute girlfriend.” The woman wrapped her arms even tighter around Sakura and kissed her cheek. She felt her brain grind to a halt and could do nothing but walk forward. They came up to the estate gates with two guards who tensed at their arrival. Sakura put enough distance between them to look respectable but would give her time to drop her companion if they started trouble.

“State your business.” 

“I’m escorting my friend home. She said she lives here.” The woman wiggled out of her arms, grabbed Sakura’s hand and ran up to the guards, waving cheerfully. The disappearance of her drunk gait had Sakura narrowing her eyes. 

“Hey I’m home! She’s just gonna walk me to my door, is that ok?” 

“Of course, my lady.” The two said at once and they were through the gates. The woman hummed lightly, letting their laced hands swing between them. 

“My lady?” Sakura asked. The blonde ignored her so she tried another question. “Were you pretending to be drunk?” 

“Nooo.” She giggled at Sakura’s glare. “How else was I gonna get you to carry me?” 

“Could’ve just asked.” The blonde laughed again, squeezing her hand and led them to a modest sized compound. A few lights were on inside but the area was quiet for the most part. When they reached the front, the woman gently pulled her closer and cupped Sakura’s face. No one had ever looked at Sakura the way she was, so light and fond it stole her breath. Sakura was just a bit taller but the woman was pulling her face in closer, their mouths almost aligned and then- 

“What’s your name?” Sakura whispered. 

“Let’s not ruin a good thing. Please?” She could hear every tremble in her voice and couldn’t stand that she had caused it. So Sakura did the only thing she could think of to fix it. 

She had only meant for one soft apology kiss. But one turned into another turned into lips captured in teeth and a tongue swiping over to soothe the ache. She could taste the remnants of their drinks and maybe Sakura did like wine after all. She had a handful of hair and a small tug had a moan spilling into her mouth. A thigh slipped between her legs and the two were pressed so close, she felt so hot Sakura was sure they would melt into one another. 

“Ino-sama!” A shrill voice had the two springing apart. She had to hold in a groan at the sight of the woman. Disheveled hair, swollen lips and the prettiest flush on her pale skin that Sakura could make out even in the dark. 

A short woman in servant’s robes was standing at the entrance. When she saw Sakura, she lowered her voice.“Your father has been looking for you.” 

“Tell him I’m coming.” The woman kissed Sakura slow and sweet before breaking apart with that grin she was starting to become obsessed with. “See you around, girlfriend.” 

She followed the servant in and Sakura was left standing on the street alone. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest though she couldn’t tell from what. Was it the kiss, the interruption? 

Or was it the realization that she had made out with the Yamanaka heir she was set to escort tomorrow to meet her new husband?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had writer's block for a month and then vomited this out so please enjoy. This was meant to be a one-shot but I have a rough idea for a continuation. Let me know what y'all think! Either way I'm really happy with this and that never happens with things I write so yay


	2. Chapter 2

The compound was unrecognizable in the day. There was bustling activity all around as Sakura was brought inside to meet the clan head. She was nervous after the research she’d done but tried to remind herself she saw the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, the last Uchiha and the Godaime Hokage on a regular basis. Kusagakure clans were unique in how they operated and Tsunade had asked her to read up on their history before coming out to the small village. 

Three clans, Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi had essentially founded the village. The land was barren, unsuited for any kind of farming and difficult for livestock. But the combined smarts of the Nara and Akimichi solved the issue before their first winter. How they accomplished it became the first village guarded secret. The Yamanaka were known as some of the best diplomats and had no trouble setting up imports from neighbouring villages for anything they couldn’t make themselves. Though other clans had settled in Kusa over the years, the Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi clans were essentially royalty. The clans were all in their fourth generation and though the strength of the village grows, the families produced less and less heirs. To Sakura’s knowledge, each founding clan only had one heir each this generation.

So when she was brought into the main living room and saw three men waiting for her, she knew who they were from the clan symbols etched on their formal attire. 

Nara Shikaku was a lean man with a laid back posture that did nothing to hide the sharp intelligence behind his dark eyes. He tracked her with such intensity she felt skinned alive, all her secrets laid bare. Akimichi Choza was large, standing almost head and shoulders above the others. He inclined his head deeper then necessary for a man of his status. If Shikaku’s gaze had flayed her, Choza’s wrapped her in a blanket with a warm drink. 

“Welcome Haruno-san. It’s an honour to have you in Kusagakure.” Yamanaka Inoichi was the spitting image of his daughter. An elegant beauty with an expression that betrayed nothing as she bowed to them. Sakura had met enough people over the years to know when someone was wearing a mask and his was beautifully crafted. 

“Thank you.” Four years after the war and she would never get used to being known around the Five Nations. She wasn’t as famous as her teammates which granted her enough freedom to go on these missions once in awhile. But that didn’t mean the public had forgotten about Sakura the Undying. “It’s a lovely village.” 

“Yes we were lucky to be small enough the war left us untouched.” Something inside Sakura tightened, a flood of images she tried hard to suppress resurfaced before she could stop them. A blink and Konoha was there, the old Konoha. Another blink and it was gone. Wiped from the face of the Earth and she was covered in the ashes of her home, her people and all she could think of was Naruto. Everyone was gone where was her best friend why wasn’t he there-?

“We’ll get started momentarily. We’re just waiting for your partner now.” Someone said, breaking her from the flashback. 

“My partner?” Everything in the mission brief indicated this was a solo mission. Sakura hated surprises, especially on missions. How could she not when her first C-rank almost killed her whole team?

The door behind her slid open. A dark haired man wearing his signature crop top walked in and she was put at ease seeing a familiar face. 

“Hello Ugly. You look well.” Sai said. She fought a smile as she watched the clan heads’ reaction. The nickname used to send her in a rage when she was 15 and insecure about everything. Now it was a funny memory and the reactions it got from others was always a treat. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were on this mission? We could’ve travelled together.” 

“That may have been our fault.” Choza said. “Some last minute changes were made and we decided to hire extra security.” 

“If we’re starting the briefing, can we take our seats?” Shikaku was already moving towards the low table in the centre of the room. 

The last minute change turned out to be two additional members of the traveling party. It seemed overkill to have both Sai and Sakura guarding three people but considering they were all heirs to prestigious clans, she understood the precaution. Aside from that, the briefing reiterated much of the same information she had known coming in. 

They would be escorting Yamanaka Ino to meet a potential husband from Taniku, an Earth village. Kusa laid on the border of Earth and Wind, a precarious position during times of unrest. The only point of interest was that in this case, the husband would be folded into the Yamanaka clan. A smart move as it would strengthen their ties to Earth and provide some security should there be border skirmishes while also insuring the Yamanaka lived to another generation. 

A marriage of convenience. Sakura had heard a million stories like this. So why did it feel like a stone had dropped in her stomach? She did her best to bottle the feeling, bury it the way she learned to bury everything. But it refused to budge, weighing on her as Inoichi called for Ino to be brought in. A long moment of silence passed. Finally, a servant stepped into the room, keeping her eyes to the ground. 

“Ino-sama has refused her servants and is requesting Haruno-san’s aid.” The clan heads all sighed at once like this was a regular occurrence. 

“Haruno-san is an honoured guest. Tell Ino she can’t just-” 

“It’s fine.” Sakura cut Inoichi off. “I’d love to meet her.” Before they could protest, she stood and followed the servant out of the room. A large part of her was nervous to see the blonde again. Sakura had been in a henge when they met so Ino wouldn’t recognize her. At least this way, she could pretend last night never happened and keep some level of professionalism. A fresh start. They came to a stop to a closed door isolated from the rest of the compound. The servant gave a small knock and gestured for her to go in. 

As soon as the door closed behind her, Ino leaped at her and Sakura had to wrap her arms around the her to keep them both from falling over. 

“You’re here!” Ino giggled, pulling away enough so their noses nearly touched. Sakura’s eyes shot down to Ino’s lips, a look that didn’t go unnoticed by the blonde and she beamed. “I didn’t think you could get any prettier but look at you! Pink hair and everything.” 

“What…?” It took a lot to surprise Sakura but here she was, speechless. 

“And you’re so much clearer now. Whatever disguise you had last night made my eyes not want to look at you for too long but now I can stare all I want.” That was the exact nature of her henge, down to the detail. 

“How do you know that?” Sakura’s voice was harder then she meant it to be but when her body froze, her shinobi instincts kicked into overdrive. Her brain was stuck on the new knowledge that Ino knew who she was the whole night. It didn’t match both what Sakura knew of her as the Yamanaka heir and how she acted last night. To see through a henge, a henge Haruno Sakura casted, she had to have some training in the shinobi arts.

“I’m chakra sensitive and you were coated in it! My father told me he got you to be my guard so knowing all that plus your name it wasn’t hard to figure out I was with Sakura the Undying all night.” 

A dull ache worked its way up and settled in her heart. It hurt but she should’ve expected this. Of course Ino had only spent time with her, held her hand, kissed her because of her reputation. Sakura thought for once, just this once, someone had actually liked her for who she was not the name she got from a war where she lost too many pieces of herself. She should’ve known better.

She didn’t know what face she made but Ino’s smile dropped. Sakura placed her down and took a step back, slipping into her role of shinobi with practiced ease. 

“Last night was a mistake and I apologize for being inappropriate. From here on out, our relationship will be strictly professional.” The formal words were clunky in her mouth but she needed to get them out, to put up this wall to protect herself from further hurt. 

“Did I do something wrong?” Ino reached out to grab her hand but Sakura twisted out of reach. 

“You’re my employer, Yamanaka-san and I’m escorting you to your husband.” Sakura hoped she heard her underlying meaning. _I’m not interested in being your last fling while you have freedom._

Judging by her crestfallen expression, Ino got the message.

* * *

They set out of Kusagakure when the sun hit its peak in the sky. To her relief, the three heirs rode in a horse pulled cart which spared her from having to interact with them directly. The air between her and Ino had been awkward since they left her bedroom. Ino didn’t acknowledge her once while the clan heads sent them off which was…fine. She definitely didn’t miss the looks the blonde used to send her way. Bright and warm with the smallest grin like they were sharing a secret. This was what Sakura wanted, what she’d asked for. So she would bear it.

The other two members of their party, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji were polite but kept to themselves. The two introduced themselves before climbing inside the cart. From what she gathered, they would be acting as Ino’s advisors, ensuring the meeting went smoothly. The actual marriage may not occur for months but the initial meeting of the spouses would make or break the arrangement.

“How long has it been since our last mission together?” Sakura asked Sai once they left the village borders and were on open road. The pair were walking ahead of the envoy while his ink tiger brought up the rear. 

“3 months. We tracked down a kidnapping ring and saved 9 individuals.” 

“Oh yeah. Kiritanpo, right?” Sai nodded. “We should go back there sometime.” Sakura and Sai were the only members of team 7 on mission rotation. Sasuke was still technically on house arrest and Naruto was too busy learning how to run a village. So, anytime the two did run a mission, they’d always go to dinner at a new place and try a dish they’d never had before. It was Sai’s therapist who suggested finding a normal activity to do after missions where they witnessed the worst of people as a way to cling to their humanity. 

They walked in comfortable silence, making good time before the sun sank behind the horizon. All together they had a week’s worth of travel ahead of them. Sakura and Sai could make the trip in two days had they been alone. It made her skin itch to travel so slowly but it would do them no good to exhaust the horses this early in.

The group stopped for the night once they found a small clearing a bit off the path. Inoichi had given them funds for staying at inns whenever they could for the comfort of the heirs but they were still a ways away from the nearest town. Once Sai got a fire going, Choji got to work cooking a meal. She was skeptical on what he could make with limited supplies but the heir surprised her with the wide range of food he prepared. Sakura was munching away on her ration bar, listening intently for sounds of wildlife around them when a hot bowl was thrusted in her face. 

“Here.” Was all Ino said. 

“I’m fine. You don’t have to waste a serving on me.” 

“No one working for me is eating something that bland. You can’t even call it dinner.” When she didn’t move, Ino plucked the bar away from her and covered Sakura’s hands with her own as she passed her the bowl. A small smile and a brush of her thumb had Sakura’s face warming up in record time. The caress felt almost like an apology but she didn’t want to read into signs that weren’t there.

And just like that, Ino was gone, taking a seat on the other side of the fire next to Shikamaru. She could feel Sai staring at her and groaned when she realized he had witnessed the interaction. 

“Shut up.” She said, shovelling food into her mouth. It tasted delicious but Sakura wouldn’t have been able to say what it was from the speed she was devouring it. 

“I didn’t say anything.” 

Soon enough, everyone had finished their meals and settled in for the night. Sakura volunteered to take first watch given how tired Sai must’ve been going from one trip to another with no break. She was glad for the solitude. It gave her a safe space to sort out her jumbled thoughts. 

Sakura, at 20 years old, knew herself well enough to recognize when she had a crush. There was no point in denying she liked Ino. The butterflies she had felt in the bar had only increased the more sides she saw of the blonde. But Sakura couldn’t ignore the feeling of being used, the insecurity she never seemed to be rid of. Why would someone as wonderful and kind and funny and beautiful as Ino spare Sakura a second glance? 

“I’m sorry.” A voice whispered in the darkness. From the dying campfire, she could make out Ino’s form. She had made her way to Sakura and was close enough she could reach her and touch her. But neither girl made a move to close the distance.

“You should go to sleep. We’re leaving early tomorrow.” 

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you I knew who you were.” Ino hugged her knees to her chest. Gone was the fearless woman from the bar. She looked so small all Sakura wanted was to hold her in her arms, protect her from everything and anything. “But then I would’ve had to tell you who I am and I really didn’t want to be me yesterday.” 

“It’s fine.” She wasn’t sure if she totally forgave Ino yet but she’d say anything to wipe away the lost look on her face. 

“No it’s not. I was so wrapped up in the drama of my life I used you in the process. I should’ve done us both a favour and just stayed home.” She buried her head in her knees and the silence stretched on as Sakura grasped at something to say. 

“I’m not part of a clan so I don’t understand the politics of it.” She said slowly. “I can’t imagine the pressure you’re under. I’m not gonna judge you for how you chose to deal with this life changing thing you’re going through.” 

Ino’s watery eyes meet hers and Sakura held her breath, momentarily distracted. She wasn’t sure who moved first but their hands found each other in the dark, fingers intertwined. It felt natural to bring their joined hands to her lips and kiss Ino’s knuckles. Sakura could feel the tension leave her as she rubbed circles on the back of the blonde’s hand, fascinated by how soft they were compared to her own calloused ones.

It was a dangerous game they were playing but as Ino’s head drooped onto her shoulder, exhaustion finally setting in, Sakura found herself welcoming the risk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can y'all tell I hate miscommunication angst? I resolved that shit so fast lmaooo. All the hand touches made me melt I'm so soft for these two. The comments from the last chapter killed me we're all SakuIno trash and I love it here. I'm writing for us and only us so if there's some mistake with canon we gon pretend like it didn't happen. Also I may or may not have ignored my assignments to write this so please validate me.


	3. Chapter 3

“So how long have you been involved with Yamanaka-san?” 

Sakura choked, coughing up the water she’d just drank from her flask. Judging by Sai’s pleased smirk, he’d waited to ask her right when she took a sip. They had set out early dawn and had been walking for a few hours, making up riddles to pass the time. She had been preparing for another convoluted one and the question about Ino threw her for a loop. She tried to stall by clearing her throat. 

“Where’d you get that idea from?” He flicked his wrist and in his hand sat a book with a gaudy pink cover. The title in swirly gold font read Attraction and How to Spot it. 

“According to this resource, you and Yamanaka-san are the perfect case study for magnetic attraction.” He flipped through and landed on an already dog-eared page before handing the book to her. Despite the cover, the book’s descriptions were clinical and Sakura felt like she was reading a patient’s chart. Sai leaned over and pointed out one paragraph to her. 

_Magnetic attraction is the easiest to observe of all attractions. While the subjects are still in the phase of getting to know each other, their bodies will make up a large percentage of their conversations. Eye contact and remaining in each other’s vicinity are two of the biggest signs of magnetic attraction. The subjects themselves may be unaware that they are drawn to each other, even going so far as denying any claims. But to any casual observer, the chemistry between them would be obvious._

“I’m glad I took this mission.” He said. “I get to witness a rare social bond up close.” 

“That’s not us. We’re nothing like that.” 

“There’s the denial.” Sai smiled. “What about this morning? From what I’ve learned, staring at someone while they’re bent over is not a platonic action.” 

“I wasn’t staring!” She said, slamming the book shut. It’s not her fault Ino looked as beautiful in travel clothes as she did in a dress. Sakura was allowed to appreciate beauty, right? “I was just… making sure everything got packed up.” 

“Didn’t say it was you.” It took her a moment to get what Sai was implying but when she did, any protest left died on her tongue. Honestly, Sakura was a bit disappointed in herself as a shinobi for not noticing someone checking her out. 

The sound of the cart door opening had both of them whipping around to see the subject of their conversation trying to climb out. Sai put his hands on the horses’ chests to slow them down as Ino jumped and landed lightly on the dirt road. Behind her was Choji though he waited until the cart had nearly stopped before attempting the same. 

“Can Choji and I walk with you? We’re dying in there.” As Ino stretched her arms above her head, her shirt rose up to reveal a sliver of skin. Sakura wondered how it feel under her palm as she moved it higher and higher…

“That’s no problem, right Sakura?” Sai’s face would seem neutral to anyone who didn’t know him but she could see the amusement that danced behind his eyes. 

“Right sure of course.” She stammered out, finally averting her gaze. “How about Nara-san?” 

“Don’t worry about him.” Choji said. “He went right back to sleep as soon as we left.” 

They started to walk two by two. Sai and Choji leading while Sakura and Ino trailed behind. She glared at the back of her partner’s head, silently demanding to switch before she embarrassed herself again. Sai ignored her in favour of striking up conversation with the Akimichi heir. 

“What’s that?” Ino pointed to the book Sakura had forgotten she was still holding. In a moment of blind panic, she launched the book at Sai who caught it without breaking his stride. 

“I’ve never seen that book in my life.” She said. Sakura braced for weird looks she was sure her behaviour warranted but the blonde just tilted her head back and laughed. The view warmed her through to her core and melted away the lingering embarrassment. She wasn’t used to being around someone like Ino. If she had done the same in front of any of her friends, they’d call it out of character. She wasn’t sure what to do around someone who accepted her so easily. 

She was so busy dealing with the sudden onslaught of emotion she almost missed the bushes that lined the path being disturbed. Almost. The change in the two shinobi was immediate, both tensed and at the ready. Sakura pulled Ino to her side and scanned the area, not noticing how Ino flushed at the contact. 

“Stay close.” She waited until Ino nodded before letting go of her. Sai had brought the horses to a stop. Sakura and Sai pushed the heirs so they were wedged between the cart and their protectors. 

Before they could usher the heirs inside, a dozen men rushed them and surrounded them in a half circle. She took one glance at the attackers and knew the battle would be over before it started. It was painfully obvious the men were civilian bandits, probably looking for an easy robbery on the empty road. Its just that the cart they chose happened to be guarded by two war heroes. That didn’t stop the men from charging forward. Sai caught her eye and the two were off, leaving Sai’s ink tiger to protect the heirs. 

A calm spread over her as her body fell into the familiar rhythm of combat. She may not know how to navigate her feelings but she knew how to do this. The only challenge Sakura had was reeling in her strength, relying only on pure taijutsu skills. She was used to fighting a higher caliber of opponent and she didn’t want to accidentally kill someone. Even with the handicap, she knocked out bandit after bandit, never taking so much as a scratch until none remained. She looked over just as Sai wrangled the last man standing into a chokehold. She dusted off her hands and walked over to them.

“This envoy is guarded by shinobi of Konohagakure. By attacking us, you’ve declared yourself an enemy of our village. It would be in your best interest to answer our questions honestly. Do you understand?” The man nodded frantically and she gestured to Sai to release him. 

As he caught his breath, Sakura inspected his appearance. The man was young, maybe only a few years older then her. He wore threadbare clothes that may have once fit him but now hung loose on his frame. She picked up one of the weapons scattered at their feet. It was an ordinary kitchen knife and when she pressed her finger to the edge, it took far too much pressure before it cut. 

It all told a story Sakura didn’t want to hear. 

The man confirmed her suspicions as he told them of his home. A tiny Earth village that had been ransacked by enemy forces during the war and had yet to recover. With no aid, the people had become desperate and turned to robbing this stretch of road for anything they can get. It wasn’t a unique story and Sakura hated it. But she hated more that she was bound by law to alert the nearest authorities of these men. They were victims of circumstance and punishing them further left a sour taste in her mouth. 

“Will this help?” Ino had left the safety of the ink tiger to hand the bandit a pouch Sakura knew to be filled with the money Inoichi had given them to stay at inns during their travel. She didn’t know the exact amount but if it was enough to house five people for several nights, it was sizeable. 

“Yamanaka-san…” Sai was cut off with a wave of the blonde’s hand. 

“All three of us want them to have it and we never agree on anything so please let us do this.” She turned back to the man. “When you get back home, send a missive to Kusagakure. They’ll help you.”

The man looked at the money and back to Ino before dropping to his knees in a full bow, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Her kindness stirred something within Sakura. She had to learn to kill her empathy over the many years of seeing the way ordinary people suffer for no reason. She couldn’t save them all and if she didn’t numb herself to their pain it would destroy her. 

Seeing Ino give up what she could and throw these strangers a lifeline, that empathy was awakening once more. Sakura broke from the group and made her way to the men still on the ground. She healed what she could though most of the wounds would have healed in a few weeks on their own. Still, at least she could spare them having to travel while injured. Ino came up to watch as she passed her green chakra over the last man and had to focus on not losing her concentration when the blonde shot her a toothy smile. 

She’d heal a thousand more people to earn that smile again.

* * *

The rest of the day’s travel was laughably boring in comparison, the only thing to break the monotony of the walk was Sai drawing caricatures of their friends back home. Settling in for the night was a mirror to the previous night and soon they were gathered around the fire eating another hot meal. 

“Akimichi-san, I don’t know how I’m gonna go back to my awful cooking after trying yours.” Sakura said. He’d made the broth of the ramen so rich it seemed almost magical to her. 

“Anyone can cook.” Choji said sheepishly. “I’m sure you’re not as bad as you think.” 

“No it is that bad.” Sai dodged her punch to the shoulder. “It’s true!”

“Whatever. I can just live off those instant ramen cups like Naruto does.” All three heirs perked up at the name. An onslaught of questions poured out and neither Sakura or Sai could keep up. What kind of food does Naruto like? Does he have a favourite? Least favourite? Whats he up to these days? Has he gotten stronger? What was he like as a kid? 

“Sad.” She said, cutting them off. “He was sad but pretended he wasn’t for the sake of those around him.” For her sake she wanted to say. Sakura still carried so much guilt over how she treated her friend during their genin days. She was so rude but Naruto always just laughed it off. She’ll never forget how, when the war was over and Sasuke back in Konoha, he confided in her that the only thing keeping him going most days was his promise to her. That he’d bring their teammate back home. Naruto cried in her arms that night, finally being able to let go after years of putting on a brave face. And Sakura let him, all the while hating herself for burdening her best friend for so long. 

So when she heard people heralding Naruto as a celebrity, she wanted to scream at them. Naruto was a boy. The world asked him to do the impossible and didn’t care what it cost him. 

The group fell silent but Sakura couldn’t find it in herself to care that she’d ruined the mood. One by one they drifted off to bed down for the night. When Sai said he would take first watch, she gratefully crawled into her sleeping bag to let the dying embers of the fire lull her to sleep. 

She woke with her hand wrapped around a throat. 

Racing heart, dry mouth, matted hair. She’d had a nightmare. A bad one judging by the adrenaline still pumping through her veins and someone had woken her up. That someone was looking down at her, blue eyes filled with fear. Bile rose to the back of her throat. 

Ino was scared of her. 

Sakura let go of the blonde and scooted away from her until her back hit the trunk of a tree. Her chest tightened in an all too familiar way and Sakura fought the oncoming panic attack as hard as she could. She’d never had one in the middle of a mission before and she was helpless to stop it. As her breaths became erratic, a small hand pried up her closed fist and laced their fingers with hers. 

“You’re okay.” Ino whispered. “Just match my breathing.” The first few came out shaky but Ino was patient. It took several minutes for her panic to subside and once it did, hot embarrassment took its place. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that. Did I hurt you?” Sakura said. It was too dark to spot any bruising but she knew, even without chakra enhanced strength, she could have injured Ino. She didn’t believe the blonde when she shook her head with a dismissive smile so Sakura let the hand not clutched in Ino’s glow with healing chakra. “May I?” 

Ino tilted her head back and with the green light, Sakura could see the pink-red hue of a bruise forming. She worked quickly to heal the skin, double and triple checking that come morning no mark would blemish Ino’s neck. Once she finished, the two gazed at each other, one with remorse and the other with forgiveness. 

“The way this trip is going it looks like we’re gonna have a heart to heart every night.” Ino said, idly playing with Sakura’s fingers. 

“Seems that way.” 

“Do you want to talk about the dream?” 

“I can’t even remember, to be honest.” 

“I always have the weirdest dreams. One time I dreamt I was on this island…” Ino shifted to throw her legs over Sakura’s, drawing the two closer together as she whispered stories in her ear. Every point of contact grounded her to the present and Sakura’s world narrowed down to just the two of them. She tried and failed to find the words to thank Ino for her kindness so she settled for squeezing her hand instead. 

Eventually, Ino’s voice drifted off as she fell asleep and Sakura gathered her up in her arms to carry her back to her sleeping bag. From the way she clung to Sakura, she wasn’t totally convinced she was asleep but she let Ino pretend. As she tucked the blonde in, she noticed a small black and white bird nestled in Ino’s bag. It took off and Sakura watched it land on Sai’s shoulder. He gave her a small smile as she walked over to him. 

“I can take over watch.” She said, settling down next to him. 

“You’ve still got an hour if you want to get some more rest.” 

“It’s fine.” Sai nodded and laid down though his eyes stayed open. “What’s with the bird?”

“You seemed to be having a nightmare so I used it to wake Yamanaka-san and it led her to you.” 

“Why?” 

He was quiet for so long, Sakura thought he had gone to sleep but then, “She makes you happy, Ugly. You deserve to be happy.”

With that he rolled over and Sakura was left alone to contemplate the truth behind his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When school gets stressful, I turn to SakuIno. Ino's kindness inspiring Sakura to be kind made me emotional and I don't know why. I really hope people like this fic cause its just me being super self indulgent lmaoo. Let me know what yall think! Also how do we feel about smut? I've never written it before but I can see it having a place somewhere down the line. But if everyone likes the fluff I'll stick with that


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